Page 71 of Seraph's Tears
Something hit me in the side, knocking the breath right out of me. I staggered under the assault, tripping on my skirts and falling to my knees. A hard, heavy body landed on top of me. The weight caused me to skid and roll to the edge of the cliff.
“Got you,” Absalom’s deep voice growled in my ear. “Now you and I will?—”
The ground disappeared beneath me. I screamed, reaching for grass, roots, anything to keep me from falling. Blood pounded in my ears.
“Eve!” Gabriel’s shout sounded so far away.
I fell, the night swallowing me whole.
Absalom bellowed with rage and fear, falling beside me.
It only took a heartbeat or two, but an eternity passed between each beat. I blinked, rain catching in my lashes, as my mouth opened in a scream. Gabriel’s stricken face hovered high above me, wings wide and bristling.
My body hit the rocks below. Pain shattered me, and I knew no more.
Chapter Twenty five
Gabriel
My howl reached the heavens.
Before I even knew what I was doing, I charged off the edge of the cliff and arrowed downward, sword forgotten. My heart beat with one rhythm: Eve, Eve, Eve, Eve.
She had to be well. She couldn’t die. She could not die. Not after everything. She was my mate, my other half, my beloved, the reason my ayim surged in my veins.
I threw myself over the edge, heedless of the height or the sharp ground below. My wings extended, and my right scraped down the cliff face, breaking my primaries off. I didn’t care. All that mattered was Eve.
My feet hit the ground, and the sharp rocks cut my feet open. The pain barely registered. As the clouds opened and rain fell, I saw the bodies of two people lying still and broken on the rocks, limbs twisted and clothes ripped, like little dolls dropped during a child’s tantrum.
The man lay dead, one sharp stone piercing up through his chest.
And Eve.
Eve.
My heart stopped, and I dropped to my knees.
She lay on her back, hair twisted around the rocks above her head. Her skirts had rucked up to her knees, displaying a broken leg. One bone jutted through her ripped stockings, blood turning the wool red.
No. No, no, no, no.
I caught her up in my arms, gently putting her back on my bent legs. “Eve?” I whispered.
Her eyelids fluttered.
She was alive. Oh, stars, she was still alive.
Blood trickled out of her open mouth. “G-Gabriel?” Her voice was thin and broken. “I—I’m sorry.” She coughed, and blood bubbled from her mouth. Tears slid from her eyes.
“You’re fine,” I lied. I stroked the wet hair back from her forehead. “I need to get you home.” Thunder roared, drowning my words.
Her face was pale, oh so pale. One hand fluttered, weakly reaching to touch my nearest wing. “So beautiful,” she murmured. “I need to-to-to tell you.” She gasped, grimacing.
Frantically I scanned her body. A patch of red bloomed on her side. Gently, I touched the blood soaking her dress.
Her eyes widened, and she twisted in my arms. “H-hurts.” Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, spilling onto my exposed hands and arms. I barely noticed the burns.
“Eve, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. What I did to make you run—please, forgive me.”
